Magnuson Park Lighted Sports Field Complex
Question and Answers
What is being proposed for Magnuson Park?
- The Seattle Department of Parks and Recreation has proposed a $65+ million project to convert approximately one-third of the green space at Magnuson Park located at Sand Point, directly across Lake Washington from downtown Kirkland, into a sport field complex. The ball fields, immediate landscaping, spectator areas, the service roads and paths that serve them, and parking lots will occupy 72 acres. A drainage facility serving the complex will occupy a additional 10+ acres. [View project map.]
- The plan includes the construction of 15 sports fields. 11 fields—used for soccer, baseball/softball, rugby, and other sports—will be lighted and be covered by 22 acres of all-weather synthetic turf. 4 fields on 15 acres will be natural grass and unlit. If completed, it will transform the one of region’s most unique waterfront parks into one of the region’s largest lighted sports complexes.
- In aggregate, over 30 acres of artificially carpeted sport fields and adjacent paved parking lots will be illuminated. The sports fields will have 78 light poles of a height of between 65 to 85 feet. These poles will contain a total of 628 high-intensity lights generating significant light pollution impacting both Seattle and Eastside residents.
- The plan includes a 65-acre man-made wetland complex to replace habitat bulldozed as part of the sport field construction.
What is the big deal about lights for the playing fields?
- What makes the Magnuson Park plan stand out is the number of illuminated fields concentrated in one contiguous area. If built, Magnuson Park will be more than twice the size of any other sports fields in the City of Seattle, and will be one of the largest lighted sports field complexes in the entire Pacific Northwest.
- The field lights will be equivalent to 30,000 hundred-watt incandescent bulbs. Add another 15% to cover security, roadway, parking lot, and pedestrian pathway lighting.
- The total illumination of the proposed Magnuson sport field complex is on par with Safeco stadium. Magnuson fields will not have walls or a roof to contain the light. Magnuson Park will be used 365 days a year, with many of the field lights on until 11pm each evening; security lighting would continue for an additional 15 minutes.
Eastside residents live over a mile away from Magnuson Park—why are you concerned about the lights?
- The quality of lights and the proposed hours of operation guarantee that thousands of Eastside residents along Lake Washington will be significantly impacted by an extraordinary amount of light pollution late into every evening. The presence of a reflective lake surface, overcast skies, and moisture only exacerbates the situation.
- In terms of the amount of upward reflected light (causing sky glow), the proposed project will be akin to six regional shopping malls stacked on top of each other, making it one of the brightest single sources of light pollution in the entire region and by far the largest source of light pollution on Lake Washington.
- The Seattle Park Department’s attorney said, for the record, "even the most obtuse decision-maker will know that light pollution is a major by-product of this proposal."
- The Environmental Impact Statement, commissioned by the project sponsor, the Seattle Parks Department, says the project will "produce significant, unavoidable light and glare impacts", that "the glow of the air around the park might be observable for several miles away from the park", and that the area affected includes "a large area of the surface of Lake Washington and considerable portions of the suburban development east of the lake."
Won’t the use of the latest high-technology lights solve the problem?
- No. There is no magic silver bullet to prevent massive amounts of light pollution in the form of sky glow. Regardless of what type of light fixture is used, 20% of the light hitting the artificial turf on the 11 fields will be reflected upwards—the equivalent of over 2,000 pairs of car high beams aimed vertically toward the sky.
- While the high-tech light fixtures called out in the Seattle Park Department’s plan cause less light spill and direct glare compared to older technologies no longer being deployed, it is impossible to prevent light from being visible to people and wildlife off the field. The only way to mitigate the effects of the lights is to have fewer lights.
- Not all the lights will be of the widely hyped "full cut-off" variety. The 152 light fixtures proposed for two large baseball fields are shielded conventional floodlights aimed at an angle to the ground. These lights will be brightly visible from thousands of Eastside homes. The other 476 lights are full cut-off fixtures, which shield the light bulb within a boxed enclosure akin to a shoebox and are generally considered to be the least offensive sports field light fixture available. If mounted perfectly horizontal (as they must be to qualify as a true full cut-off fixture), the light bulbs themselves should not be visible from the Eastside. However, the resulting sky glow will be.
What do the planned new fields and man-made wildlife habitat replace?
- Currently, the site includes over 100 acres of delineated wildlife habitat as well as 4 unlit natural grass sports fields on 22 acres. There is also an abandoned Navy Commissary building and parking lot occupying several acres.
- The majority of the existing wildlife habitat will be bulldozed. The dirt from the excavation of the existing habitat will be used to build the fields (the synthetic turfed fields need to be elevated for drainage reasons).
- A portion of the current wetlands land-area will be used for playing fields. The rest will be reconfigured as part of a man-made wetlands/habitat. (Such man-made constructs have an 85% failure rate in our state.) Part of an existing 22-acre grass field area will be used for new sports fields with lights and artificial turf, and part will be used for new natural grass fields. Most of the Commissary building and parking area will be used for lighted synthetic sports fields and a parking lot.
Is this issue just about lights?
The issue is much broader than the light and noise that will travel across the lake to Eastside neighborhoods.
- Preservation of areas’ scenic beauty and quality of life. Anyone who has occasion to appreciate the natural serenity and splendor of a Lake Washington sunset and nighttime vista—whether from their home, during a walk in an Eastside park, from a waterfront restaurant, or wherever—will be affected. Does it make sense to build and light a large sports complex adjacent to residential areas where thousands of families will be negatively impacted 365 days and nights a year? Is this Magnuson Park plan consistent with Seattle’s "emerald" image of open space, waterways, and mountains?
- Environmental stewardship. This one-of-a-kind waterfront park has 1 mile of shoreline and over 100 acres of delineated wildlife habitat, home to 170 species of birds as well as amphibians and small mammals, including three species on the threatened to become endangered list. Urban wildlife often lives on the edge—paycheck-to-paycheck, so to speak—and the light and noise from the construction and constant field use will cause much of the wild life to perish or leave. Does it make sense to destroy this existing wildlife habitat without ever even considering alternative locations for lighted sports fields?
- Regional consideration. Is it proper for the Seattle Parks Department to design such a project without ever considering the effects on Eastside residents and consulting with Eastside representatives? What kind of precedent does this set for the future?
Hasn’t this project already been through a thorough, years-long public process? Why did you wait until now to voice concern?
- The Eastside was not included in any of the planning that led up to the July 2002 Environmental Impact Statement. Over time, more and more Eastside citizens became aware of the lighted fields and raised concerns before the Kirkland City council—asking them to intervene on their behalf. This led the Kirkland council to begin registering concern with their Seattle counterparts during the second half of 2003.
How has the Seattle Parks Department and Seattle Mayor Nickels responded to Eastside concerns to date?
- During the summer of 2003, the Seattle Parks Department promised City of Kirkland officials a set of computer generated images showing how the lighted fields would appear as seen from the Eastside. The images were never delivered and the Parks Department now says the simulations are cost prohibitive and unnecessary.
- In September 2003, Kirkland Mayor Larry Springer sent a letter to Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels requesting a meeting to discuss the proposed Magnuson Park plan. Though Nickels sent a letter in reply, he neglected to respond to Springer's request. No meeting between the mayors ever took place.
- In September 2003, Eastside Friends of Lake Washington sent a letter to the Seattle’s Board of Park Commissioners (an advisory committee to the Seattle Parks Department) asking that they delay issuing a recommendation regarding Magnuson Park until the effects on the Eastside could be studied. No reply was received. The board voted to approve the sport complex proposal in Oct. 2003, but suggesting a minor modification to lighting hours of operation.
- In October 2003, Eastside Friends of Lake Washington, through their attorney, requested that the Seattle Parks Department reopen the project’s Environmental Impact Statement and amend it with a study of the potential impacts on the Eastside. Ken Bounds, Superintendent of the Seattle Parks Department, denied the request.
- At a Dec. 2003 meeting, Eric Friedli, Magnuson Park Manager, told Eastside Friends that the Parks Department would not compromise on the number of lighted fields or on hours of operation and that our only recourse was to take this issue before the Seattle City Council and/or take legal action.
How broad is the opposition to the lighted fields?
- Friends of Magnuson Park has a base of 2,000 members Over 250 people attended a forum they sponsored on February 2, 2004. Eastside Friends of Lake Washington has 500 households as members—spread across Kirkland, Medina, Juanita, Holmes Point and other Eastside neighborhoods.
- Numerous community / neighborhood associations and environmental groups have come out in direct opposition to or expressed serious concern with the Park Departments lighted field plan.
- Citizens for Wildlife & Neighborhoods
- Friends of Youth
- Magnuson Environmental Stewardship Alliance (MESA)
- Northeast District Council
- ParkPoint Condominium Association
- Ravenna Bryant Community Assoc.
- Sand Point Community Housing Assoc.
- Seattle Residents for Fair Field Lighting
- Windermere North Community Assoc.
- Hawthorne Hills Community Council
- National Audubon Society
- Seattle Audubon Society
- Since publication of the project’s Environmental Impact Statement in July 2002, many additional citizen organizations have registered their opposition to the Park Department’s lighted field plan including:
- 46th Legislative District Democrats
- Seattle Group of the Sierra Club
- Citizens Sand Point Planning Assoc.
- View Ridge Community Council
- Laurelhurst Community Club
- Moss Bay Neighborhood Association
- Market Neighborhood Assoc. (Kirkland)
- Paisley Place Homeowners Association
- Seattle Community Council Federation
- Resource Alliances
- Dark Skies Northwest
- Seattle Astronomical Society
Aren’t you just a bunch of selfish neighbors, willing to sacrifice sports simply to preserve your view and quality of life?
- We are in favor of providing places for our children to play. But, youth leagues do not need fields lit up until 11pm 7 days per week. The later evening hours are for adult league play and many of the sponsors of the sports complex are adult leagues.
- We don’t believe that waterfront park is the right place for a late night sports complex. Since it will draw teams from throughout the region, a site closer to the freeway makes more sense. Hundreds of powerful floodlights on 80-foot poles will be a bright and irritating blight on the beauty and tranquility of Lake Washington.
If this project goes ahead as planned, when would it be built?
- If approved by the Seattle City Council (a vote is expected in May 2004), the fields would be built in five phases over the subsequent decade, starting in spring 2004. (For more information, see the "Construction Phases and Costs" brief.)
What can be done to stop or scale down this lighted sport field project?
- Political, legal, and public relations efforts by hundreds of volunteers and contributors to Seattle-based Friends of Magnuson Park (www.saveourpark.org) and Kirkland-based Eastside Friends of Lake Washington (www.eastsidefriends.org) have had a dramatic effect. Prior to our collective efforts, this project was on the fast track to being rubber-stamped. While this is no longer the case, the fight is far from over. Ways you can help—volunteer, write a check, and draft letters/emails to Seattle politicians (see our web site for details).
How did this issue come into being? Why is it popping up now?
- Magnuson Park was created in the mid 1970’s when the Navy closed down its airstrip at Sand Point, transferring 196 acres to the City of Seattle, and 100 acres to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The Navy kept 151 acres of on the western edge of the property for use as a Naval Support Station. In the early 1990’s, the Navy closed its Support Station, and transferred the remaining land to the City of Seattle in 1997. This transfer touched of a debate within Seattle as to how to use the additional property, as well as existing sections of the park.
- Partial funding for the Magnuson Park lighted fields was secured when the $200 million "Parks, Green Spaces, Trails & Zoo Levy" was passed by Seattle voters in November 2000. The levy text made no mention of field lights or artificial all-weather surfaces, or destruction of existing wetlands.
- Between 1999 and 2002, the Seattle Parks Department worked closely with various athletic field proponents to develop a detailed plan for Magnuson Park, culminating in an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) published in July 2002. The 1,000+ page EIS performed some level of analysis of a myriad of potential environmental impacts, but it did not consider the effects this project might have on Eastside communities.
- Friends of Magnuson Park was formed in 2002 with a mission to protect the natural habitat and beauty of Magnuson Park and to ensure that future development of the Park for recreational or other purposes is consistent with these goals. In 2003, Friends of Magnuson Park conducted various outreach efforts on the Eastside, including a lighting demonstration with lights consisting of a mere 1% of the wattage proposed for the fields. These efforts helped spark awareness of the issue among Eastside residents and directly lead to the formation of a sister organization, Eastside Friends of Lake Washington, in September 2003.
[Page Last updated Mar. 30, 2004]